With Lent and Easter giving way to the late spring and inevitable hot summer, there’s plenty of reason to fire up the grill on those warm weekends, crack open a cold drink, and cook outdoors for your friends and family. Grilling is not a uniquely southern activity, of course, but there are certain foods that are largely only available in Southern Louisiana that can provide a uniquely Cajun flair to an American classic.
Kick Off With Drinks and Apps
To avoid restless and hungry guests, it’s generally a good idea to have the grill hot and ready by the time your guests arrive. On a hot day which, in Louisiana, is likely; you’ll want to have a selection of ice cold beers, seltzers, and other cold drink options. If you’re getting started early, don’t discount a nice Bloody Mary on a warm day, either!
As the guests arrive and the first beverages of the day begin to flow, there are a few different apps and finger foods that can curb hunger before the main event. In addition to some grilled veggies, some sliced tasso and smoked sausage with toothpicks make for great finger foods. Boudin links, smoked boudin, and party sized boudin balls are also a must for any Cajun gathering.
Don’t forget to provide a wide array of dipping sauces such as ranch, hot sauce, mustard, barbecue sauce, and more—not that these appetizers aren’t great on their own! For tasso and sausage, we especially recommend locally sourced garlic sauce (maybe mixed with a little mayo) or Dat Dip, which is just as good with sausage as it is with crawfish!
Meat Your Main Course
In a cookout, the meat is usually the main attraction, and that’s doubly so in Cajun country, where pork and beef are practically a cultural staple. When it comes to the main event, Cajuns are spoiled for choice. In addition to American classics like cheeseburgers and franks, there are a plethora of Cajun meats that go great on the grill, and thanks to our online store, you can have them shipped to any cookout location across the US! A few good examples include:
- Preseasoned burger patties (or chicken patties for a leaner alternative)
- Marinated ribeye steaks seasoned to perfection
- Bacon-wrapped jalapeno stuffed chicken thighs
- Seasoned country style pork ribs
- Grilled alligator bites
Another great option for cook-outs is to take loose boudin mixture by cutting open links and forming into patties for a boudin burger! We suggest topping with pepper jack cheese, lettuce, tomato, gator pickles, and your favorite burger sauce for a classic with a local twist! Don’t get your seasonings, either. Tony Chachere’s, Slap Ya Mama, K-Fred, and Britt’s Cookin seasonings are available in our online store!
Don’t Forget The Sides & Sweets
Meat may be the star of the show, but you’ll want to provide ample amounts of side dishes to go along with all of your favorites. In addition to cookout classics like corn on the cob, potato salad, and coleslaw, try our crawfish pies to add a little seafood to the menu. We also have a variety of stuffed bell peppers that go great with steaks, burgers and the like. We also carry Cajun Market Meats’ twice baked potatoes that are guaranteed to be the star side at almost any cookout!
In addition to sides, you’ll want to provide something sweet to your guests at the end of the day. The perfect way to inject some more local flavor into the proceedings are New Orleans style beignets—sweet lumps of fried dough that are tossed in powdered sugar and go great with coffee. We also ship lots of local, hard-to-find sweet treats in our online store.
Put Some Cajun in Your Cookout
There’s no wrong way to do a cookout, but if you’re interested in injecting some Cajun flair into yours, we’re here to help. Check out our blog for recipes and other local info, and be sure to swing by one of our locations to see our wide variety of both raw and ready-to-eat Cajun foods.
If you’re out of state and having trouble tracking down the perfect foods for your next cookout there’s good news! Thanks to our online store, you can have all your favorite Cajun meats and goodies shipped anywhere in the US! Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram to see recipes, news and more!